Suspended assembly for seats or the like



Jan. 8, 1952 M., HELLER 2,581,483

SUSPENDED ASSEMBLY FOR SEATS OR THE LIKE Filed April 25, 1946 IN v5 1vTOR:

Patented Jan. 8, 1952 OFFICE 1 i SUSPENDED ASSEMBLY Fon on THE LIKE-Maxiinilian Heller, London, England J snA'rs Application Xpr1125, 1946,Serial No. 664,751

i: In Great BritainJune 6,1945

blllaims.

The present invention relates, to furniture comprising resilientlysuspended assemblies in frames for vehicle-seats, chairs, settees,bunks, beds or like articles and'one object of the invention is toprovide increased comfort by simple and inexpensive means.

According to the invention the furniture assembly comprises atopjstructure, a downwardly extending spacing member secured to said topstructure, at least two of'jtlie bottom edges of said spacing memberbeing spaced inwardly relatively to the edges of said top structure; asupport frame, and at least two rows of short tensile springs strungbetween the lower edges of said spacing member and said support frame,said springs thus holding said top structure in a floating positionabove the level of said springs, the latter extending below edgeportions of said top structure.

The springs are within the area covered by the top structure, and suchassemblies are highly resilient in use.

Various embodiments and details of the invention are illustrated by wayof example in the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 represents apartial perspective view of a bunk according to the invention,

Figure 2 a partial perspective view of a motorcar seat,

Figure 3 a sectional front view of a seat, the frame being indicated inbroken lines,

Figure 4 a sectional view of a couch,

Figure 5 is a sectional View of an assembly comprising compressionsprings,

Figure 6 a diagrammatic view of an assembly, showing in broken lines aseat and back member, and

Figure 7 a partial perspective view of an armrest.

Referring to the drawings, the assembly shown in Figure 1 comprises topstructures I each of which is provided with two downwardly extendingspacing members 2, the bottom edges of the latter being connected byshort tensile springs 3 to a support frame 4. The top structures I andthe spacing members 2 may consist of any sufficiently rigid materialsuch as wood, metal, or artificial resin. The spacing members 2 arespaced inwardly relatively to the edges of the top structures I so as toenable the springs to be arranged within the area covered by said topstructures. If desired one or more of the edges of the top structures Imay be in line with or may project beyond the outer edges of the supportframe 4. As can be seen from the drawings,

2 *the springs 3. are so tensioned as to be: substantially horizontalwhen the furniture assembly is unoccupied. The arrangement of Figure 1,with several independently suspended top structures, has the advantageof providing greater flexibility when in use.

Figure 2 illustrates a motor-car seat comprising a top structure 5 and aspacing member formed of downwardly extending brackets 2interconnectedby bars 6. Tensile springs 3 extend between the bars 6 anda support frame 4, which may also comprise lateral guides for thebrackets 2 in order to prevent or limit undesired swaying motion of thepart 5.

Figure 3 shows an assembly comprising a support frame which is indicatedin broken lines and a top structure 1 consisting of a rubber sheet on ametal plate below which is secured a spacing member consisting of arigid block 8, the underside of which is provided with screw eyes 9 towhich the tensile springs are fastened.

Figure 4 shows a modification of Figure 1 in which a rigid top structureI is provided with upholstery ID. The upper portion of the support frame4 guides structure I. A single transverse member II, interconnecting aplurality of downwardly extending members 2, provides the inneranchorages for the tensile springs 3.

Figure 5 illustrates an assembly wherein short compression springs I2and longer compression springs I3 are so arranged as to form a topstructure suspended by short tensile springs 3.

Figure 6 shows an assembly in which a spacing member is formed bycomponents 2 and 6. The lower edges of the spacing member are spacedinwardly relatively to the edges of a top structure I so that tensilesprings 3 can be arranged at all four sides completely within the areacovered by the top structure I, the latter being indicated in brokenlines and having an angular projection constituting a back.

Figure '7 illustrates an armrest. The vertical front members I4 of asupport frame are connected to the rear uprights I3 by means of spacedbars [6, the latter forming guides for a spacing member I! whichconsists of a single rigid block.

I claim:

1. A furniture assembly comprising a rigid support frame, asubstantially horizontal top structure extending over the area enclosedby said support frame, secured to the underside of said top structure atleast one spacing member of substantial length and of comparativelysmall height and short tensile springs which are substantiallyhorizontal when the furniture assembly said tensile springs as far asthe outer ends of 1 said tensile springs and said top structure is heldsuspended and moves downwardly on 'occupation and the tilting movementof said top structure is slight when carrying an occupants weightoff-centre.

2. A furniture assembly comprising a rigid I support frame, asubstantially horizontal top structure extending over the area enclosedby said support frame, secured to the underside of said top structure atleast one spacing member of substantia1 length and of comparativelysmall height, and short tensile springs which are subrelatively to theedges of said top structure, the 51 whole arrangement being such that atleast two edge portions of said top structure extend over V 4 7 saidtensile springs and said top structure is held suspended and movesdownwardly on occupation and the tilting movement of said top structureis slight when carrying an occupants weight off-centre.

MAXIMILIAN HELLER.

react ons orrnn UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date I 61,001 CrossJan. 8, 1867 70,583 Leadbeater Nov. 5, 1867 819,975 Carlson ..Apr. 9,1907 1,151,910 Sturges Aug. 31, 1915 1,231,336 Kuczabowskl June, 26,1917 1,351,748 Freedman Sept. 7, 1920 1,369,047 Parker -j Feb. 22, 19211,409,212. Behr Mar. 14, 1922 1,647,057 'Sheets Oct. 25, 1927 1,703,779lujals Feb. 26, 1929 1,742,540 Hillburger 1 Janj'l, 1930 2,273,286Roberti Feb. 17, 1942 2,421,851, Rivard June 10,1947

FOREIGN PATENTS Nu b r Country Date 138,725 Austria Sept. '10, 1934497,436, Great Britain Dec. 20, 1938 594,616 Great Britain Nov. 14, 1947

